


The Fading Sakura

by Spunky0ne



Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-07
Updated: 2012-06-08
Packaged: 2017-11-07 05:21:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/427314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spunky0ne/pseuds/Spunky0ne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Called to act as consort to the Spirit King, Byakuya must leave everything behind. Upon realizing the king has been corrupted and will simply drain him of life, he finds an unlikely ally in Aizen Sousuke, who promises to help free him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Betrayal

Aizen Sousuke sat quietly within Central 46…secreted in a secluded office. He withdrew several sheets of paper from the desk and dipped his brush in a fresh pot of ink. Taking a breath, he gathered his thoughts and began to write.

_My Dear Byakuya,_

_When you read this letter, many things will have changed and you may be tempted to rethink all that has passed between us. I don't have long to make sense of things, but I want you to know the truth, so that you can make the decision I will ask you to make based on the facts. Perhaps, when you hear what I have discovered, you will understand why it is both necessary and unavoidable for me to act as I am now._

_I know you were but a child, but perhaps you remember when Kirio Hikifune resigned her position as taichou of Squad 12 and left for the Spirit Dimension. What no one knew, but what she managed to secret out of the spirit dimension, is that she left due to a royal summons, one that required that she report to the Spirit King and offer herself as the King's Consort. She was neither honored nor pleased by her mission. She discovered upon her arrival that the King's Consort is forced to undergo difficult changes that rob him or her of all power, connection with the zanpakutou…everything that makes our lives meaningful. Naturally, she did not embrace being chosen for this, but she knew that she could not escape it. So she wrote a missive and managed to have it carried out of the spirit dimension and delivered to me._

_The contents were shocking. I dare not tell you everything in this letter, because merely having the knowledge is a crime…and I know why they want to keep it a secret. After reading what she sent, I became convinced that the Spirit King has somehow become corrupted and must be removed from power. Obviously, this is a crime that would result in my being given the Sokyoku. So I am left with little choice._

_My explorations over the years have been directed at finding a way to overthrow the king. I endeavored to find something to prove my assertions about the king, but there is nothing I can use to prove my claim. Failing at finding the proof I need, I must instead focus on destroying the king and creating a new hierarchy for our worlds. Balance must, of course, be maintained, but what has happened is that the king seized limitless power, upsetting the balance and so needed a consort with no spiritual pressure and no power to balance him. The difficulty is that the very presence of the king slowly drains the consort of life. The consort fades and must be replaced. The king may choose his consort from the Royal Guard or from among the taichous of the Gotei 13. The chosen has no choice, but must give up everything to balance the limitless power of the corrupted king…to slowly fade into nothing. I cannot allow this to continue._

_I found out that Urahara Kisuke created a device called the Hougyoku, one that may enable a balanced king and consort to be made…meaning the two chosen would rule together, their power balanced so that neither drains the other. Unfortunately, he hid the device within your sister. I have sought a way to remove it from her and will do so, but a complication has arisen and it may cause confusion._

_Ichimaru Gin has been close to me as I have researched all of this. Pretending to support my work, he convinced me to take him into my confidence. I recently discovered that Gin is an agent of the current corrupted king. Somehow…I do not know how, the king discovered that I was contacted by his consort. Recommended to him by Soutaichou, Gin's task was to get close to me and to determine if my plans posed a threat to the king. When he realized what I intended to do and that my plan was viable, instead of returning to Soutaichou and reporting what he knew, he decided instead to use the information to force me to help him overthrow the king so that he can assume the throne…purportedly with me as the other half of the balance. All he has to do is to whisper one word to Soutaichou or the king and my plans will be annihilated. I cannot afford to let that happen. So, I am forced to work with Gin until such time as I can kill him. I would have done so already, but he has left me no openings._

_You are going to hear about awful things I have done alongside Gin. I cannot explain the reasons in this letter, but if you heed my request, I promise to explain everything._

_I want to apologize to you for your sister being caught up in all of this. Gin is enjoying toying with her and seems to have some sort of grudge against you that explains his vehemence. He wants that when we reveal ourselves, that we should kill her. I have a plan in place to make it look like we have killed her, but it will be an illusion meant to fool him._

_In any case, once all is revealed, I must go along with Gin to Hueco Mundo and begin to build an army of hollows, affected by the Hougyoku to overthrow the king. I would try to kill Gin, but I must have his assistance in building the army of hollows. At some point, he will turn on me to grab power for himself, and perhaps by then, I will have found a way to stop him._

_Byakuya, you and I have been in each other's orbit for many years, and I now confess that I longed to be even closer. I admit now that, in defiance of the rules of the Gotei 13 that forbids taichous to fall in love with each other, I have fallen in love with you. I think you sensed this…and that is why you have become distant with me. I want to bridge that distance…so I offer you this. I leave you this soul communicator. I have enabled it to reach me from anywhere. If you return my affections and you decide that you would be willing to help me in my mission to balance the power of king and consort, simply use this communicator and I will bring you here to join me._

_I will understand, of course, if you decide not to return my affections, or if you feel you cannot leave your clan leadership and position in the Gotei 13. But I had to tell you what was happening, had to offer you the chance to come with me to balance the king's power and to end this bleeding of life that continues even now…_

_Whatever you decide, know that I love you and I will always treasure the time we spent together, even never having had the chance to express my true feelings. You are beautiful, so very beautiful, Byakuya. I hope with all of my heart that you will come to me in Hueco Mundo._

_Yours always,_

_Aizen Sousuke_

He sat back and studied the letter carefully, making sure he had said everything in the way he wanted and that he left nothing out. He sighed and placed the letter and soul communicator in an envelope, then rose and flash stepped to the door. He slipped out of Central 46 and invoked his power to make himself invisible to others. It wouldn't, he thought, be prudent for him to reveal that he was alive…not yet. He wondered how Byakuya would react to his letter. He didn't hold out great hopes that the noble would leave his home and family, but perhaps he would open a dialogue…there could be something, some kind of connection that would keep them from falling apart entirely. There had to be a way…

He realized suddenly that he had reached the manor. He walked through the entry unseen and made his way down the outer walkway, stopping for a moment as he realized that Byakuya knelt less than ten feet from where he stood, studying a picture of his late wife. He sighed longingly, wishing he could speak to the noble one more time before leaving. He stepped closer, breathing in the sweet sakura scent that hung in the air around him.

He looked so sad…

And Aizen Sousuke understood why. He hadn't meant for Rukia to actually be executed. That had been Gin's idea. Even now that they had found another way, he still wanted to kill Rukia, to hurt Byakuya. Aizen Sousuke wondered for a long moment, just why the other was so set on destroying the girl. What was this anger, this fury, that seemed to be directed at Byakuya? Was Byakuya just a rival Gin wanted to squash? Or was there more to it than that? He shook his head in frustration and forced himself to move on. As he passed out of the room, the floor creaked.

Byakuya turned and looked directly at him…

There was a long moment of silence, then the noble sighed and turned back to the picture of his late wife. Aizen continued along the corridor to Byakuya's bedroom and set the letter carefully in the pocket of one of his shihakushous. He turned out of the room and flash stepped away, not daring to return to the room where Byakuya knelt, not even to look at the noble one last time. It was better, he thought, to just move on…to let it go. Byakuya would read the letter and make his decision…and what happened would happen. There was no use in agonizing over it.

He made his way back to Central 46 and slipped back inside to wait. He was quite relieved, however, that his waiting was almost at an end.

XXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 1: The Summons

"Make way for the Royal Courier!" announced a voice from outside the taichou's meeting room.

Soutaichou's eyes rose sternly and the taichous' heads turned to look as the door was thrown open and a white clad messenger entered the room.

"I bear a message for Soutaichou and all of the taichous," the messenger said, removing a scroll from the pack at his waist, "By order of the king…It has been determined that the King's Consort has begun to fade and the time has come for his highness to select a new consort. As you know, consorts may be male or female and are chosen from the ranks of the Royal Guard or the taichous of the Gotei 13. To be chosen as consort is an extreme honor. After much deliberation, his highness chooses Kuchiki Byakuya to act as consort to the king. The consort will have seven days in which to see to the organization of his affairs, after which he will be escorted to the spirit dimension by a special detachment of the Royal Guard."

He turned and bowed before a pale and stunned looking Byakuya.

"Kuchiki Byakuya, you are to be congratulated."

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya left the first division and walked slowly back to the sixth. In his hand, he carried a sealed envelope and in his pocket, he carried a copy of the order from the king. His mind still kept replaying the words the courier had said. He couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that he, of all shinigamis had been chosen to be King's consort. He had known, of course, upon taking his post, that the king had the right to order such a thing, but the issue had never arisen…

And now he would have to give up everything…

After the taichou's meeting, the messenger had handed him a personal message from the king, outlining his orders. The words still echoed in his mind.

_My Dear Byakuya,_

_I have watched you for a very long time and have waited many years, not knowing if I would ever have the chance to be anything more than the distant king you served as leader of a noble clan and as a taichou of the Gotei 13. Though it is a sad thing that my current consort's life is fading, it finally gives me the opportunity to invite you to join me in the spirit dimension. I have longed for this, and I hope we shall have many happy years together, ruling the three worlds. I know that your wisdom, your strength of character, your beauty and your obedience will make this a very fulfilling union._

_You will have seven days to put your affairs in order. I know that you will need to choose a taichou to succeed you in the sixth division…and as you have no heir as of yet, sadly, the line of your clan that has served as taichou of the sixth division for so long will, unfortunately, end with you. You will also need to select an heir to succeed you as the head of the Kuchiki clan, as you will not be allowed to leave the spirit dimension after you are brought here. I know it will be difficult for you to say a final good bye to your loved ones, knowing you will not return to them, but your service to me is of utmost importance to the balance of power that protects the three worlds. The ones you are leaving will surely understand this._

_You need not bring anything with you…and in fact you are discouraged from bringing anything. Your new place in the spirit dimension requires that you sever all connections with your former life in service to the king. When the time comes for your leave taking, a Royal Escort will provide you with clothes to wear for your journey, and will guide you into the spirit dimension._

_I look forward to your arrival._

_Fondly,_

_His highness, Yoshiaki, Spirit King_

His heart pounded strangely and his eyelids fluttered, but he forced down the emotions that raged beneath the surface. He surrounded himself in false calm and forced his feet to continue to move in the direction of his division…or the division that would only be his for seven more days. He reached the door and paused for a moment, calming himself again before opening the door and entering.

Renji sat, working at his desk…as nearly always was the scene he met after his taichou's meetings. The redhead looked up at him and smiled.

"Taichou, how was your meeting?" he asked casually.

Byakuya swallowed hard and everything he had planned to say or do flew out of his mind. He stared for a moment, then noticed the concerned look on Renji's face and tried to recover himself.

"Oh…my apologies, Renji. The meeting went fine."

"You want me to make some tea for you Taichou?" Renji asked, eyeing him, "You look a bit unsettled. It must have been some meeting. Soutaichou yelling at everyone again…or was it Kurotsuchi taichou…"

"It was nothing especially," Byakuya said, relieved to have regained the calm in his voice, "but I would like for you to make us some tea…then I must speak to you."

He sighed in frustration as the look of concern on Renji's face only grew. But the redhead hurried off to make the tea and Byakuya sat down in his chair to wait. He knew he should busy himself with the tasks that waited on his desk…but why work on training schedules and living world placements that he wouldn't be there to see carried out? Why write reports that would become meaningless to him the minute they were signed and sent?

"Here you go, Taichou."

He took the tea from Renji's hand and felt a small sense of warmth and comfort in the familiar exchange…but that would be going away as well. And in seven days, Renji, Rukia, everyone he knew would disappear from his life forever.

And the worst part was, he wasn't allowed to explain…

He picked up the sealed envelope and handed it to Renji as the redhead sat down next to him. Looking unnerved, Renji opened the envelope and pulled out the announcement inside, freezing and dropping letter and envelope as he realized what it was. Byakuya gathered himself and tried to make it as quick and painless for both of them as possible.

"Congratulations, Renji. You have been promoted to taichou of the sixth division. You will unofficially begin your duties now and will officially assume command in one month. I offer my regrets that I will not be able to attend your promotion ceremony."

"T-taichoiu? Taichou, what has happened? What's happening to you? Where are you going?"

"I am sorry," he said, his voice low and sincerely apologetic, "I am forbidden to explain. But Renji, I want to thank you for your loyalty…for all you have done for me since Aizen Sousuke's betrayal. You deserve this promotion."

"But Taichou…you'll still…I mean, we'll still see each other, right? You're…you're still going to be here, right?"

Byakuya stared at him, not daring to tell him the truth, but knowing he deserved more than silence.

"I need to ask you to look out for Rukia. I want your word that you will watch over her and keep her from harm as I would."

"Th-then…you are leaving. Are you coming back? You will come back, right Taichou?"

"I'm not your Taichou anymore, Renji," he said softly, "Now give me your word that you will protect Rukia."

"Of course…but…"

He stood and Renji stood with him.

"Taichou…" Renji said in a frightened voice, "Please…please tell me what's happening. If you're in some kind of trouble…"

Byakuya broke all of his stiff barriers, closed the distance between them and embraced the redhead tightly, then released him. He held Renji's eyes for a moment longer, then flash stepped away.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya stood in front of his dressing area mirror, watching as the King's Escort tied the formal white kimono in place, then stepped back to study his work. He met Byakuya's eyes in the mirror and smiled.

"Come…the king awaits you."

Byakuya nodded and moved to follow as the man started across the room. He felt a pang of intense emotion as he reached his bed and stopped. The escort turned and looked back at him, an expression of understanding in his eyes.

"Tell you what. I will wait outside for a few minutes. Join me there when you are ready," the man said quietly.

He walked out, leaving Byakuya staring after him.

He wasn't sure what had made him stop…perhaps that it was the last time he would ever stand in his room, ever look out into his garden, ever set foot in Kuchiki Manor. And he couldn't take anything…nothing.

But he needed something, he thought desperately, but what? He was told to set everything aside, to leave everything behind…but he needed to take something. Something small that would go unnoticed. He looked around his room, but everything seemed to big or noticeable. He searched his dresser and closet. He searched his nightstand and as his fingers reached in towards the back, a small envelope touched his fingers. He swallowed hard and pulled it out.

He had put it there several years before…unopened. After seeing Rukia nearly killed by his former friend and colleague, he hadn't wanted to read the words. But being that he was going to be taken away…to lose everything…he thought maybe that he needed to know.

"Kuchiki Byakuya?" the escort said from outside the door, "I'm sorry, but we cannot delay any longer."

Kuchiki Byakuya…

Not Kuchiki-sama, Kuchiki taichou…or anything else honorable…

He was no one now…

His name was meaningless…

His life as he knew it was over…

In a last bit of rebelliousness, he secreted Aizen's letter inside the folds of his kimono and stepped toward the garden doors. He opened them and walked out into the garden, where his escort waited. His heart nearly broke and he blinked back tears as he saw the servants lined up on either side of the walkway and Rukia and Renji standing near the end with their arms wrapped around each other. He looked into the kind, sad eyes of his staff and said a silent farewell as he passed by them. As he reached Rukia and Renji, he heard his sister sob and his feet stopped. The escort stopped as well, waiting.

He stepped away, ignoring the escort's words and walked to Rukia. Renji released her and she flew into his arms, sobbing harder. He held her for several moments, stroking her back and resting his face against her hair, then kissed her on the forehead and nodded to Renji, who pulled her away from him.

"Nii-sama, please, don't go! Will I see you again? Please, Nii-sama! Nii-sama!"

He stepped back to the escort's side and with calm, measured steps, left everything behind.

Well…almost everything…


	2. The Presentation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byakuya arrives in the spirit dimension and finds that something is frightfully wrong there...

Byakuya kept his eyes fixed on the ground just ahead of him as his escorts ranged around him, hardly seeming to notice he was there. They would have been aware and responding quickly had he dared to take a single stray step, but there was nowhere he could go that the Spirit King could not reach, so there was no point in running. He stepped forward with a calm countenance because there was nothing else to be done. He carefully avoided thinking about what he had left behind and focused instead on living in each moment as it happened, making what decisions were his, and not thinking about what awaited him at the palace. He had little idea what to expect, for the most part, but the word 'consort' carried enough meaning to warn him about some things. He forced his mind away from that and contemplated the scenery.

As they passed into the spirit dimension, it seemed the very land around them changed. Everything that surrounded them had a misted, surreal feeling to it. The colors and sounds were vibrant and lovely, but his situation continued to leak back into his thoughts, keeping him from truly enjoying his otherwise dreamy surroundings. They walked along a long trail that wound through thick forest, but he felt already the nearness of open land and knew it would not be much longer before they arrived. He felt a chill pass through him, although the day was comfortably warm.

As they passed out of the trees and into the meadowlands, the palace rose up in the distance. And although he would have given anything to be allowed to leave this place and return home, he would have had to have been blind not to appreciate the beauty and artistry that went into the charming demesnes that lay before him. It was like something out of a fairy tale.

His family, although being noble and very well off, did not create large displays of wealth, instead opting for things that provided a peaceful and comfortable existence. The only thing truly impressive about Kuchiki Manor were the gardens. Here, the gardens were just the beginning. All of the buildings displayed a lovely symmetry and had obviously been crafted by the finest artisans. There was amazing detail in everything from the careful landscaping that blended color and light to deeply please the senses, to the inlaid detail in the walls and floors that one couldn't fully appreciate without spending hours poring over them. The steps they climbed were fine marble and the designs that swirled in their surface were somewhat hypnotic. The pattern changed and became lighter inside the palace, but as they entered, his attention was drawn away from the scenery.

They stepped into a large entry room and his guards melted away, leaving him with just his Royal Escort. The man smiled warmly at him as they paused to speak for a moment.

"Welcome to the palace, Royal Consort. I will take you first to the room you will occupy during the transition and then you will be presented to the Spirit King. He has been looking forward to your arrival here."

"What is the transition you speak of?" asked Byakuya, not really expecting a proper explanation, but having no one else to ask.

The escort smiled tolerantly.

"I shall leave it to the king to discuss the procedures with you. I am to take you to your quarters and to allow you to freshen up before we meet with the king."

He turned away, ending the conversation, and led Byakuya up a large staircase and down several long hallways, stopping at one of the doors near the end of one of them. He opened the door and motioned for Byakuya to enter.

"I will send in an attendant to assist you."

The door closed and Byakuya was left alone in the silent room. Like the rest of the palace, it was tastefully decorated and looked comfortable, but he was certain that nothing would allow him to feel comfortable now. He stood for a moment, contemplating what to do, then suddenly realized that his attendant would likely be undressing him and might find the letter he had brought from…he didn't dare complete the thought. Instead, he pulled out the envelope and slipped it in behind the books in one of the bookshelves. He returned to the center of the room and had busied himself with looking out the glass door onto the balcony, when the door opened and a young man entered. He walked to Byakuya and bowed solemnly.

"Welcome to the palace, Royal Consort. I am Torio. I am to be your personal attendant during your transition. If you will come with me, I shall prepare you for your meeting with the king."

Byakuya nodded silently and followed the youth through the doors and into the bathing room housed within his quarters. Torio carefully removed the kimono Byakuya's escort had dressed him in, then directed him into the large heated bath. To his surprise, the attendant removed all but a small wrap that went around his waist, covering his personal region, and stepped into the waist deep water with him.

"With your permission, Royal Consort," he said, waiting.

Byakuya simply nodded, not knowing what was expected. The attendant seemed satisfied and stepped closer. Byakuya stood still, having been made to endure such things at a much younger age, before abandoning them when he became master of the house. He only shivered slightly at the first touch of the attendant's hands, then he sighed and stared down at the rippling surface of the water, letting his breath move in and out as his body was moistened, carefully washed and rinsed clean. When the attendant stepped away again, he followed and was dried off and taken back into the dressing area in his room. The attendant treated his body with fine oils and combed out and dried his hair, then dressed him (strangely, Byakuya thought) in a finely made white yukata.

He stood, looking into the mirror and marveled at how different he looked with everything stripped away. He looked younger, smaller, and more vulnerable. And however well he might be concealing his emotions, he was even more pale. He hardly looked like himself at all.

"Come," said Torio, turning toward the door, "It is time for your presentation to the king."

Forcing down the feeling of anxiety that rose up at the words and carefully ignoring the fact he was only wearing the white yukata, he followed the youth out the door and along the hallways until they reached the doorway to the throne room. Torio turned and slipped a charm around his neck.

"The king's power requires that you wear this at all times around him during your transition…that way his power won't harm you. Do not remove it while in his presence."

Byakuya nodded, reaching up to touch the gold charm briefly. He was distracted away from it as the doors were pulled open from the inside and he was led into the throne room.

The king stood as he entered, walking down the steps in front of the throne and coming to a stop in front of the noble. He studied the tall, raven haired shinigami, admiring the lines and curves of his body, the fall of his hair, the smoky gray eyes…all just as he had expected. He smiled and reached out, touching a porcelain cheek and raising the eyes to look in deeper.

"Beautiful," he said softly, "You are everything I imagined you would be…but then being of Kuchiki stock, how could you not be?"

Byakuya did not answer, but stood quietly, allowing the king to examine him. He felt a shiver pass through him at the man's touch and just a moment of gazing into the power-filled golden eyes left him chilled. He was a coldly beautiful man, Byakuya observed…and, he thought, a very dangerous one. He carefully said nothing and waited patiently until the king straightened and took his hand.

Byakuya barely managed to keep from flinching at the familiarity of the gesture. Anxiety rose up inside him again, undoing his determination to face everything calmly. There was something very wrong with what was happening…

"Come, Royal Consort," the king said in a deeply tranquil tone, "It is time to see to the making of our heir."

Byakuya froze, his body halting, eyes widening in surprise and his heart suddenly pounding. The king turned and the golden eyes gazed down at him. Sudden understanding flooded his features.

"Ah, you do not know…do you? I am sorry, Byakuya. I should have explained. The transition you will undergo will leave you unable to create heirs. So we will create our heir and then commence with the process to remove your shinigami powers and spiritual pressure. The full process takes about a year, allowing time for the delivery of the heir."

"Was their no heir before?" Byakuya asked softly.

The king frowned.

"No…unfortunately, my current consort was not able to bear a child. She did indeed become pregnant, but miscarried," he explained.

"And how am I to bear a child, being that I am male?"

The king smiled.

"My reiatsu will be sent into your body and will bind with yours. It will form the child's reiatsu and will stabilize inside your body. When it has fully stabilized, the reiatsu will simply emerge from your body and take its infant form. It is a relatively painless process, not at all like that of the living folk. You needn't concern yourself. You will likely experience some minor symptoms as you progress, but it will be manageable for you. Now…come with me and we will make our heir."

There was no point in resisting. There was no question that this being, though looking like a shinigami, was something far more powerful. Resistance would result in only a delaying of the inevitable…if it even managed to delay things at all. So Byakuya took the hand offered and followed the king out of the throne room. He noted as they walked, that the guards kept their distance.

They left the throne room through a smaller door behind the thrones and passed through a hallway, then back into the larger hallways, turning several corners before stopping at a set of large double doors. The doors were opened and the king led him forward, into the room. It was several times larger than his quarters and luxuriously decorated. But though looking very comfortable, it left the noble with a cold feeling inside. He sensed the recent presence of another having been in the room…a woman. He wondered briefly if it had been the current consort and where she was now.

He felt a touch on his cheek and suddenly realized how close the king stood to him…and how near the bed they were. The monarch was silent now, his eyes growing intense as the doors closed and they were left alone. He felt the tie at his waist release and the king's hands rose and slipped the yukata off of his shoulders. He stood perfectly still as the clothing dropped away, his eyes on those of the king and his mind in forced calm.

The king removed his kimono and moved in close, wrapping his arms around Byakuya and bringing their bodies together. He pressed his lips to the noble's and Byakuya felt his legs suddenly give way. The king simply caught him up and placed him on the bed, then climbed onto the bed beside him and brought his body down onto Byakuya's.

The contact wasn't terribly unpleasant. He had been to bed with his wife and so was not naïve, but he had never been touched by another man before. The king's lips were firmer and more demanding than his wife's had been…and the arms that held him were stronger and less yielding. But he knew, as the king's hands began to explore his body, that things would be very different indeed…all too soon.

The firm lips parted and the king's tongue pushed past his lips and into his mouth. He yielded, but hesitantly, earning a mumble of discontent from the monarch. The other's tongue sank in deeply, curling around and capturing his, then moving on to touch everywhere inside his mouth. The king made a satisfied sound and his hands tightened for a moment, then released. And as he continued kissing Byakuya the hands continued moving as well, stroking the skin of his throat. Sliding down his chest, caressing the soft abdomen and moving down lower to touch him more intimately. Byakuya couldn't quite suppress a shiver at the touch of the man's hand on his thickening member. He felt a blush rising on his cheeks and the king laughed softly against his lips.

"Not to worry," he whispered, moving on to kiss the pale skin of the noble's throat, "You will get used to having me touch you. We are going to be married as soon as the former consort fades away. Then we will be together every night. For now, this is the one night we have…until you have made the transition."

Byakuya felt some relief at that. It bolstered him, thinking he would have more time to cope with the idea before it became a permanent situation. Still, it didn't remove him from the situation he was in…

He realized suddenly that the king had stopped and was staring at his face.

"You aren't enjoying this, are you?" he asked softly, "And why would you? Likely, you are still somewhat in shock from the sudden change. I would have preferred to take things more slowly as well, but I assure you that it is done this way out of necessity."

"I understand, my lord," Byakuya answered, regaining some sense of calm from the reassurance.

Seemingly satisfied with his response, the king resumed kissing him on the face and throat, his hand wrapping around Byakuya's length, moving up and down the shaft and sending what should have been pleasant waves of sensation through him. His body was responding now, but his mind refused to cooperate. He forced down the feelings of revulsion that rose up inside and tried to distract himself by studying the king's eyes, his pleased expression, his strong shoulders…anything…

"I want you to touch me," the king's voice said in a firm, yet not unkind tone.

Swallowing hard, he loosened his hands and let them slide down the king's long, straight back. The sound that emerged from the man on top of him made him catch his breath. Then, he had it taken away again as the hand around his cock released him and moved down lower, stroking the sac at the base, then moving down more and touching him at his entrance. He shivered uncontrollably as the king paused and pulled his hand away…returning moments later with his fingers coated in something warm and wet. Byakuya forced himself to concentrate on the task the king had given him. As a slick finger pushed inside him, he ran his hands over the king's powerful chest and shoulders, making the man smile and lean down to kiss him again. The finger moved in and out of him and he forced himself to relax and move with it.

"Very good," the king breathed against his skin, "You are committed to making our union successful. That is very good. It will make things easier for both of us."

A second finger slid into his entrance and Byakuya shook softly at the discomfort, but the pain wasn't unbearable, just different. The king nipped hungrily at his lips and bit his throat harder, his touches becoming rougher and more passionate. He seemed to be getting impatient and there was a growing discontent in his eyes as he waited for Byakuya's body to adjust. He thrust in a third finger and Byakuya's body recoiled at the pain. The king muttered an apology, but continued pushing his fingers in deeper, moving with greater haste and less care. Finally, he removed his fingers and pushed the noble's legs open wide. He positioned himself between them and pushed into the somewhat prepared entrance, slowing when he felt Byakuya's hands tighten involuntarily or the noble made a sound of pain. Once fully inside, he lowered himself onto Byakuya, kissing him eagerly and reaching down to caress him as he adjusted. He began thrusting before Byakuya felt he was quite ready, and there was pain, but he bit down on his lip and breathed through it.

The pain slowly eased, and the king's hand continued to pleasure him, drawing his mind away from the uncomfortable feeling of being penetrated. Gradually, he relaxed more in both mind and body and began to move with the body on top of his, not quite knowing what his body felt suddenly hungry for, but instinctively straining toward it. He shifted, changing the angle of the king's thrusting and felt the other's hardness strike a place inside him that send his thoughts spinning away and dragged a cry of pleasure from deep inside his throat. The king smiled and thrust in hard, several more times, watching closely as Byakuya's eyes closed and the noble's lovely body shuddered heavily under his. Hot seed poured out onto their skin in sharp pulses. The king thrust in deeply and held Byakuya tightly, emptying himself into the noble, whispering words of affection and nipping warmly at his throat and ear.

The king laid on top of him for some time after, kissing him and mumbling his appreciation. Byakuya said nothing, but returned the king's kisses as expected, then watched as the monarch fell asleep, still inside him. He sighed softly, turning his head to look out at the stars and moon…comforted by the fact that they hadn't been taken away with everything else. He drifted off in the king's arms, too tired and lost to even consider what would come next.

He woke some time later to find himself alone in the king's bed. As if on cue, the door opened and Torio entered. He bent and retrieved Byakuya's yukata from the floor, then placed it back around him and led him back to his quarters. Byakuya let his mind drift as the attendant carefully bathed him again and brought him a fresh yukata. Overwhelmed by all that had happened, he slipped into the soft, comfortable bed and fell asleep, forgetting for the moment about the letter that still sat, unopened, behind the books on the bookshelf. He fell asleep so quickly that he didn't even notice when Torio turned out the lights and left the room.


End file.
